2023 Emerging Technology Webinar Series

July 12—online

In “Plastic Gears Reinvented: 3D Printed Molds for Rapid Product Development,” Ben MacDonald, senior applications engineer, Fortify, pairs his knowledge of the intersection between 3D printing and tooling with a customer first approach to drive the adoption of 3D printing as a manufacturing resource. Fresh off his graduation from Wentworth, he has spent the past five years immersed in all things 3D printing and tooling. Specifically focused on injection mold tooling, MacDonald has built Fortify into an industry leader with a focus on design and processing. He continues to develop new applications with a customer first perspective as he focuses on the ESD and greater tooling market.
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Detailed Gear Design

July 11–13—Morrison House Old Town Alexandria, Autograph Collection, Alexandria, VA

There is a distinct difference between “designing” a gear and “optimizing” a gear design. In this course, we will address the optimization process via an understanding of those factors beyond basic banding and pitting ratings. Optimization may focus on load capacity, economy of production, or minimization of the overall gear system envelope. Also in this course, we will learn how to improve gear designs via optimization and gain new insight into concepts presented through illustrations and demonstrations. Explore all factors that go into good gear design from life cycle, load, torque, tooth, optimization, and evaluating consequences.
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Operator Precision Gear Grinding

July 25–26—12:00 pm–4:00 pm (EST)—Live Online Virtual Training

Explore precision gear grinding processes, machine input variables, kinematics, machine alignment, setup errors, pitfalls, common gear fatigue failures and expectations related to finish ground gearing. Learn definitions of gearing component features, application loads and process steps from blanking, through heat treatment to finished part ready to ship. Study aspects of Quality Assurance, Inspection Documentation, and corrective actions for measured non-conformances.
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Steels for Gear Manufacturing

August 8–10—Chicago Marriott Oak Brook, Oak Brook, IL

Gain a basic understanding of steel and its properties. Learn to make use of steel properties in an application and understand the potential that different steel and heat treatment options can offer. Explore how the performance of the material depends on how the steel is produced.
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Essential Concepts for Bearing Technology

August 8–10—Chicago Marriott Oak Brook, Oak Brook, IL

This course will give you an overview of the bearing industry as well as basic bearing types and applications. Knowledge of the key players, bearing types and terminology will ensure that everyone has a basic knowledge of the industry upon arrival. This course is specially designed for engineers and others with technical backgrounds that have limited exposure to bearings and need to adapt their technical training to bearings or seek an upgrade to their technical knowledge. The Essentials Course focuses on understanding basic tribology, bearing attributes and applications and explores the basic concepts around manufacturing methods, loads, lubrication and failure.
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Industry News

Nord Develops Intelligent Heat Recovery from Machine Tools

Power Transmission Engineering

Nord Drivesystems continuously looks for opportunities to gain manufacturing efficiencies and implement practices that have less impact on the environment. In 2012, Fertigungstechnik Nord, a member of the Nord Drivesystems Group located in Gadebusch, Germany, developed a concept for heat recovery from machine tools in their production areas. To this day, the recovered energy has been used to heat the over 20,000 sq. ft. of the location’s production, assembly, and office spaces. The recovered heat is also used to produce hot water within the facility, rather than using traditional water heating methods that are less environmentally friendly.
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What’s Ahead for 3D Printing?

Plastics Today

Materials, 3D printing technologies, and applications are all poised to make meaningful advances in 2023 and beyond. Three major trends underpin this forward movement: Restructuring, accountability, and hybridization in additive manufacturing.
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GM and FedEx Support Research to Accelerate Transportation Electrification

3BL CSR Wire

RMI announces FedEx and General Motors (GM) will each provide catalytic grant funding to drive innovative and equitable transportation infrastructure solutions at scale. Tackling the climate challenge requires speed and equitable implementation. The programs RMI, FedEx, and GM are collaborating on will focus on advancing research into electrification strategies and solution development from electric grid planning to EV charging infrastructure access.
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The Opportunity Presented by Industrial Workforce Shortages

Automation World

Spring and fall are traditional times for industry conferences. At these events we’ve talked about Industry 4.0, cybersecurity, digital transformation, IT/OT convergence, digital twins and the impact of AI, specifically ChatGPT and its use cases in industrial manufacturing. Each of these topics is fascinating but one message has dominated my thoughts recently and I can’t quite shake it. That thought is: How in the world are we going to execute on all these incredible advances in industrial manufacturing and automation without people?
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German Robotics and Automation Expects All-time High - VDMA Reports

TMCNet

The German robotics and automation sector is on track for another record year: the industry is forecasting a 13 percent increase in sales to 16.2 billion euros in 2023. In 2022, companies already recorded a 5 percent sales increase to 14.3 billion euros.
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Digital Live Machining Demonstrations Go Global

Gear Technology

Global supplier of tools and technology for the metalworking industry, Sandvik Coromant, has released a new Digital Live Machining (DLM) session program. The sessions are hosted virtually from Sandvik Coromant Centers—a global network of facilities equipped with ultramodern machinery and technology. The DLM sessions provide live machining demonstrations, educational presentations, and interactive discussions with engineering experts.
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How Robotic Applications are Changing Medical Devices

MD+DI

Medical robotics applications are evolving in healthcare in a variety of areas, including exoskeletons, care robots, and hospital robots. More than 250,000 people die each year in the United States from medical errors, some of which are likely preventable. Today, advances in surgical techniques and technology give surgeons more precise control over a range of procedures. For example, robotics can enhance a surgeon’s precision by using magnified 3D high-definition vision and mechanisms that strap to a surgeon’s wrists and hands. The outcome is less-invasive procedures, faster recovery time, shorter hospitalization, and long-term cost savings.
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Machining Components for Smaller Power Plants

Cutting Tool Engineering

WFL Millturn Technologies is establishing itself in this sector with the complete machining of key components for small power plants: turbine, gear, and generator shafts as well as valves and pump wheels have the highest shape and position tolerances and place high demands on their machining process.
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